Single-trigger mechanism for double-barrel guns.



J. W. SMALLMAN.

SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE BARREL GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, I909.

1,1 60,338. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

figtifzf' W COLUMBIA PLANucIR/IPH cm, WASHINGTON D. c.

I. W. SMALLMAN.

SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE BARREL GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25.1909.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG 9.

FIG. 5.

FIG IO.

FIG 4 FIG 7.

FIG. lI

FIG. I 4.

FIG. I 3.

FIG. l2

WITNESSES.

COLUMBIA FLANOCIRAPH 120.,WASHINGTON. u. c.

modes-3.

UNIT

JAMES w. SMALLMAN, on niiaoirnown; NEARLE M NGTON, ENGLAND.

SINGLE-TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR.DOUBLEBAR-REL GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. N ov'. 16, 1915.

Application filed September 25,- 1809. Serial No. 519,643.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES VILLIAM SMALLMAN; asubject of the Kingof Great Britain and Ireland, of Blackdown, near Leamington, in the county of VVarwiclr, England, have invented a Single-Trigger Mechanism for Double-Barrel Guns, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of an action-body with the trigger-plate attached and the singletrigger mechanism ready for firingthe right barrel first; Fig. 2is a side elevation of the trigger-plate and single-trigger mechanism just after the first pull on the trigger has released the right look; the sear-tails and the safety-bolt being included in their proper; relativepositions. Fig; 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, showingthe parts directly after the involuntary release; the trigger having been forced to return about halfway to its normal position while the rocker reaches its intermediate position. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the trigger; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the catch. Fig. 6 is a plan corresponding with Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents the selective side. Fig. 8 is a plan corresponding with Fig. 7. Fig. 9 isa side elevation of the bar that affords communication between the fastening bolt and the plunger. Fig. 10 is a plan corresponding with Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing a special trigger and a catch without steps. Fig. 12 is a plan (drawn to a larger scale) illustrating a modification of the selective slide. Figs. 13 and 14: are similar views with the modified slide in diiferent positions. 7

Many systems of mechanism have been tried for overcoming the difiiculties due to the involuntary pull which occurs afterthe firing of' the first barrel. Timed mechanisms may prove too fast, in which case the second barrel is prematurely discharged; or too slow, balk-ing the shooter when he attempts to fire the second barrel. Premature discharges of the second barrel and balking also happen with the ordinary three-pull mechanisms.

The obiect of the present invention is to produce simple and compact mechanism that will permit both barrelsto befired. in quick succession without allowing the second barrel to i be unint,entionally discharged;

The principal features of novelty are a. spring-impelled rocker with dependent arm,

a catch that engages first by one bent and then by another bent for retaining the said rocker inits normal and intermediate positions, and a trigger nicked to bed against the arm.

The extremely short release of the trigger after the nose of the catch has been lifted by the involuntary pull above the second bent. is a most important characteristic of this construction.

The trigger. A has two walls a and a and a catch B, placed between these works on the trigger-pin a The walls a and a have stops 2' and '11; The catch has a nose bf A slide G capable of occupying two positions is supported in grooves (Z and d above the catch B; A V-shaped spring E carried by the catch B presses against the slide C. There are two steps R'and L on the slide C; and two steps R and L on the catch B. The steps R and L serve for right-left; and the steps L and R for leftright. A rocker F is mounted in the trigger-plate H on a horizontal pivot h, an arm 7 on the rocker F projecting downward behind the trigger A. A plunger J actuated by a strong spiral spring K enters a hole iii an abutment h" on the trigger-plate H; the head- 7' of the plunger, upon which two bents M- and M are out, being hinged by the pin 7" to the top of the rocker F; The trigger A, opposite the arm 7", has two nicks. N and N; A bar P fitting in a channel h on the box H afi'ords communication between the fastening bolt Q, and the plunger J. A lug 7) extends from the. bar P over the slot 3. A lever T- with a; protruding foot 2% is jointedin the trigger A on the pin 6*. The

slide C has a notch 0 for the head i" of the lever T. A spur V on the slide C goes under the leg w of. the safety-bolt W. A prolongation S on the front of the trigger A underlies the trigger-plate H; X "is. the right and X the left sear tail; at being the right and m the left safety sear-tail.

VVhilo the nose I) of the catch 3 rests. in the bent M, thereby retaining the plunger J and therocker F in their normal positions, the spring E pressing.- against the slide C holds the step R in contact with. the seartails' X and m; a space existing between the step:L"and-the sear-tailsX and m; When e trigger IA is firstpulled the-stopsand iii) path of the bent M.

cape.

71, hearing against the steps R and L, lift the catch B, the nose 7) leaves the bent M and the step R raises the sear-tails I; and a0 sufficiently tofree the tumbler of'the right look. The sear-tails X and a; (Fig. 2) are fully raised by the action of the right tumbler in falling. The nick N hits against the trigger A (through the agency of the slide C and the elastic medium of the spring E) to lower the nose 6 of the catch B into the The head 7" (Fig. 3) of the plunger J advancing beneath the stops 2' and i limits the onward movement of the trigger A. The involuntary pull, easily overcoming the resistance dueto the engagementof the nose 7) with the bent M drives the trigger A back until the nick N arrives against the arm 7. The nose 6 of the catch B is thus brought above the bent M. The rocker F then goes into the extreme position; the arm 7" escaping from the nick N. A very short release'of the trigger A is suificient topermit the arm 7 to es- 7 The step L is thereupon (held by the spring E against the stop 2') in contact with the sear-tails X and :0; the'head 7' of the plunger J having run under the nose I) of the catch B. The spring E permits the arm f (in escaping from the nick N) to pullthe stop 2" slightly away from the step L: but immediately afterward takes up the play ready for the firing of the left barrel.

The sear-tailsX and 00, having been fully raised (Fig. 2), are out of'reach when the left barrel is fired. The thumb-lever Y. on

being turned, forces back the fastening bolt Q and the bar. P; the plunger J and the rocker F going into. their normal positions.

The automatic action of the safety-bolt W is not interfered with. because the leg to :moves the trigger A downward under the pressure of the springE 'by the leg to while the nose 6 of the catch B is rising out of the bent'Mprior to snapping into the bentM. For enabling the left barrel to be fired first, the trigger A is pushed to operate the lever T. The foot t of the lever T is up to the fulcrum at the end of the slot s;

and the pressure applied to the trigger A,

being transmitted by the pin 2? to the lever T, compels the head t to shove the slide G into its forward position. While the trigger A is pushed, the step R recedes between the walls aand a,--the step L, which advances to the wall a, descending intothe clearance between the steps L and. R. The spring E returns the trigger A to its original position, but with the lever T and the slide C in their altered positions. 7 g rel has been fired from the step L, the right barrel can be fired from the step R; the sear-tails X and m having been taken out of reach by the action of the left tum- The slide C, if in the forbler in falling. wardpositiornjis shoved to its backward position by the lug 7) bearing against the lever T. An interval normally exists between the step L and the sear-tail X". This interval prevents the step L arrivingnnder the sear-tail X before the spur V on the slide C is blocked by the leg to of the safetybolt W. When the trigger A is pulled, the spur V will not clear the leg w unless the slide 0 is practically in one orxthe other of its extreme positions. In the unlikely event of the trigger being pulled with the slide C out of place, the spur V and the'leg,

'w, acting in conjunction to prevent the'rismg of the trigger, guard against the simultaneous discharge of both barrels. The prolongation S covers the gap due to pulling the trigger.

The catch B (Fig. 11) is without steps. The base I) touches the trigger A at i 7 The stop i on the trigger A acts as a step; corresponding in height with the step JR. The opposite stop (not included in this view) also acts as a step; corresponding in height with the step L. The spring E is formed on the catch B. I r

The slideC is a modification of the slide C; being without the spur V. 'The inadvertent firing of both barrels togethfil' is guarded against by arranging that the step L (Fig. 12) does not reach the sear-tail X until the step R has cleared the sear-tail X (Figs. 13 and 145). With the slide C in the intermediate position, though the trigger can yield to a pull, neither lockwould be released. f i

' The selective mechanism may be dispensed with; in which case onlyftwo steps at; dif ferent heights (corresponding with the steps R and L').would he required. Instead of two nicks on the trigger and an arm with one point only, there may be a Sammy nick on the trigger and an arm with two points.

A nose on' the catch can engage with two bents or the rocker; ora nose on the rocker Y return to its normal position, so that the safety-bolt W can be pressed forward both locks 1na v. after the arm f has escaped from the nick N, be let down together by holding back the trigger or commencing to close the gun.

It will be understood that, without depart- After the left baring from the principle of this invention, various modifications can be effected as regards the details of the mechanism.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Single-trigger mechanism for doublebarrel guns comprising a trigger having two walls and a nicked back, a spring-actuated rocker pivoted to the trigger-plate, an arm depending from the rocker opposite the nicked back of the trigger, a catch mounted on the trigger-pin, a slide supported by two grooves in the walls of the trigger, a V- shaped spring placed between the slideand the catch, a lever jointed in the trigger, the head of the lever entering a notch in the slide and the foot protruding from the trigger-walls, the catch retaining the'rocker in its normal position and subsequently in its intermediate position, the trigger lifting the catch twice to free the rocker, once during the first pull and again during the involuntary pull, the movements of the trigger being controlled owing to the nicked back of the trigger bedding twice against the dependent arm on the rocker, pressure at the back of the trigger serving to force the foot of the lever against the trigger-plate, thus moving the lever far enough to change the position of the slide, thereby reversing the order in which the barrels are fired; and means for causing the parts to return to their normal positions, substantially as described.

2. Single-trigger mechanism for doublebarrel guns comprising a trigger having two walls and a nicked back, a spring-actuated rocker pivoted to the trigger-plate, an arm depending from the rocker opposite the nicked back of the trigger, a plunger hinged to the rocker, the head of the plunger having two bents, a spiral spring surrounding the plunger, a catch mounted on the trigger-pin, the nose of the catchengaging in the first bent of the plunger to retain the rocker in its normal position and in the second bent to retain the rocker in its intermediate position, a slide supported by twogrooves in the walls of the trigger, a V- shaped spring placed between the slide and the catch and adapted to hold the said slide in either of two positions beside answering as a trigger-spring and a catch-spring, a selective lever jointed in the trigger, the head of this lever entering a notch in the slide and its foot protruding from the triggerwalls, a bar that affords communication between the fastening lever and the springactuated rocker and a safety-bolt having a leg that works along the top of the trigger, the fastening lever, the bar and the leg of the safety-bolt causing the parts to return to their normal positions, the trigger lifting thecatch twice to free the rocker, once during the first pull and again during the involuntary pull, the movements of the trigger being controlled owing to the nicked back of the trigger bedding twice against the dependent arm on the rocker, such construction giving an extremely short release after the involuntary pull, pressure at the back of the trigger serving to force the protruding foot of the selective lever against the end of the slot in the trigger-plate, thus moving the selective lever far enough to change the position of the slide and reverse the order in which the barrels are fired, substantially as described.

3. Single-trigger mechanism for doublebarrel guns comprising a trigger with a nicked back, a spring-actuated rocker mounted on a horizontal pivot, an arm depending from the rocker opposite the nicked back of the trigger, and a catch that retains the rocker in its normal position and subsequently in its intermediate position, the trigger lifting the catch twice to free the rocker, once during the first pull and again during the involuntary pull, the movements of the trigger being controlled owing to the nicked back of the trigger bedding twice against the dependent arm on the rocker, and means for causing the parts to return to their normal positions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES W. SMALLMAN.

Witnesses:

ANNE HUDSON, CATHARINE R. VALENTINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

